French Conversation · Level 151
30 words
French word
maréchal
Pronunciation
IPA/maʁeʃal/
Meaning
- masculine nounfield marshal
Example
Nous avons vu le maréchal à la parade.
We saw the field marshal at the parade.
More examples
On a parlé du maréchal hier soir.
We talked about the marshal last night.
Core concept
A highly honored military leader whose title places the person above ordinary commanders in a ceremony or historical account.
Similar words
général: A senior commander involved in planning campaigns and directing military forces.
Definition in French
Titre ou grade militaire historiquement élevé, porté par des commandants supérieurs et parfois accordé à titre honorifique.
Word origin
The word descends from Old French mareschal, borrowed into medieval Latin as mariscalcus from Germanic elements for 'horse' and 'servant'; its sense rose from horse management to senior command.
Usage tips
- Maréchal-ferrant means 'farrier', while maréchal by itself generally denotes the historical or military title rather than that trade.
Other meanings
- marshalnoun